This invention relates to gun locks and more specifically to gun chamber blocking locks.
A major concern of gun owners and law enforcement officials is the fact children may gain unauthorized access to loaded guns with the consequence of someone being injured or killed. There is also concern that a gun owner may accidentally drop a loaded gun causing an unintentional discharge of the weapon.
Presently there are gun lock devices on the market that have not been entirely satisfactory. Some of these lock into the trigger guard behind the trigger thereby preventing the trigger being pulled. This device does not insure that there is not a live bullet in the chamber, which can cause unintentional discharge of the firearm should it be dropped or handled improperly. There are several cable lock devices in which the chamber is partially blocked or in the case of revolver the cylinder is locked out of position. In either case a live bullet can not be loaded into the chamber but the firearm has to be left open allowing debris to invade the barrel, chamber or the cylinder of the firearm.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN TOOL and ARMORY offers a gun lock that prevents loading live ammunition into the chamber but each gun lock of this design will fit only one caliber hand gun and barrel length and is relatively expensive to manufacture.
Inventors have created several chamber blocking gun locks to prevent the loading of live ammunition into the chamber with the lock installed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,959 to Bentley (1995) discloses a chamber blocking gun lock that requires a different length chamber blocking rod and a different length mounting cable for each barrel length. U.S. Pat. No. 2,479,107 (1949) to Garrison teaches a chamber blocking gun lock with a locking chamber blocking rod. This gun lock can be applied single caliber firearm with a single barrel length only. The same limitations apply to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,048,211 and 4,398,366 issued to Hepp and Wernicki respectively and to international publication number WO 00/17596 to Hutton. U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,536 to Samuels teaches a chamber blocking gun lock to be used on a single caliber revolver only.
In accordance with the present invention a gun lock assembly comprises an elongated chamber blocking rod member having a 90 degree extension having a formed closed loop at the end thereof; a locking rod having an open loop at the end thereof, said loop engaging the trigger guard of the firearm to be locked. The opposite end of said locking rod, having a series of radial apertures, is introduced into the closed loop of said blocking rod and is locked in place by the insertion of a commercially available pad lock into the appropriate radial apertures of said locking rod.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
(a) to provide a chamber blocking gun lock being economical to manufacture and easy to install;
(b) to provide a chamber blocking gun lock suitable for installation on firearms if different caliber and barrel length;
(c) to provide a chamber blocking gun lock that cannot be removed by a child without the proper key or lock combination; and
(d) to provide a chamber blocking gun lock that prevents accidental firing of a loaded firearm due to mishandling or dropping of the firearm.